AROUND THE NFL

Giants Stadium to Be Renovated

The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority said it had reached an agreement with the New York Giants on renovations to Giants Stadium at East Rutherford, a move officials hope will bolster the state's chances of playing host to the Super Bowl in 2008.

Improvements to the stadium are widely viewed as necessary for the NFL to consider selecting New Jersey as the site of what would be the first outdoor Super Bowl in a cold-weather city.

George Zoffinger, the sports authority president, said the agreement calls for $250 million to $300 million in improvements to the stadium, including new restrooms, club areas, more concessions, wider concourses and perhaps more seats.

John K. Mara, the Giants' executive vice president and chief operating officer, said he hoped construction would begin after the 2004 season and take two years.

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San Diego's right tackle Vaughn Parker had surgery for torn ligaments in his left knee and will be out for the season.

Parker, a 10-year veteran, tore his anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in the Chargers' loss to Baltimore on Sunday.

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Center Tim Ruddy, who has started all three games this season for Miami, underwent surgery to clean debris from his left knee. Dolphin officials said it was unknown how long Ruddy would be out.

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Tampa Bay signed free-agent receiver Marvin "Snoop" Minnis to a two-year contract, helping to fill the void left by the loss of starter Joe Jurevicius.

Jurevicius tore a knee ligament in the Buccaneers' loss to Carolina two weeks ago and will be sidelined at least four weeks.

Minnis spent two seasons with Kansas City but sat out much of 2002 because of a broken toe.

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Minnesota re-signed receiver Robert Baker and released safety Ron Israel.... Jacksonville signed former first-round pick Troy Edwards to help bolster its struggling receiving corps. Edwards spent three seasons with Pittsburgh and last year with St. Louis.

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Sterling Sharpe, who spent seven seasons with ESPN, has been hired by NFL Network. An announcement is expected today.

Sharpe, whose contract was not renewed by ESPN after Michael Irvin was signed, will join two other new hires, Glenn Parker and Solomon Wilcots, on "Playbook," a nightly show that will be produced by NFL Films at Mount Laurel, N.J.

It is different from the show Rich Eisen will anchor from Los Angeles, "NFL Total Access."